Ecie & Esme II: Another Day Like This

Five

'Where is your mom this time?' Emily asked at breakfast.

'She's in Michigan,' Esme replied. 'But it's a short trip so she'll be back in two days.'

'Did Eric go with her?' Emily asked. 'They've been getting pretty close recently.'

'I don't know,' Esme replied. 'I think he just follows her everywhere because he's madly in love with her.'

'Ha,' Jonathon laughed. 'Have I ever heard anything so funny?'

'Mom said that you guys were talking about getting me and Es an apartment,' Ecie said. 'I thought it was a little strange. You guys have actually been having conversations.'

'We've found two nice places that you girls might like,' Jonathon replied. 'We try hard to be amicable, but sometimes Sofie has to get all OCD and controlling about everything.'

'So in other words you couldn't look for anymore places,' Ross said. 'It was too tiring?'

'Exactly,' Jonathon nodded. 'That woman knows how to suck the life out of everything.'

'That's kind of gross dad,' Esme said. 'I don't need to hear things like that.'

'Especially after what we saw.'

'What did you guys see?' Ross asked.

'Mom grabbing Eric's gifts,' Esme replied. 'It was not the most entertaining thing to watch.'

'When did you see this?' Emily asked.

'I can't remember now,' Ecie replied. 'We'll have to ask Verd when it was.'

'Well I just hope that Eric knows what he's gotten himself into,' Jonathon said. 'Sofie is a very tiring and stubborn woman.'

'Don't worry dad,' Ecie said. 'We all know.'

'Will we still be able to have these fun breakfasts?' Ross asked.

'Of course,' Jonathon replied. 'We'll have one every weekend I'm home.'

'It must so weird for you guys,' Emily said. 'Things are beginning to wind down slowly.'

'Yeah,' Ecie nodded. 'I just keep thinking "this is one of the last times..." and its making me feel so depressed. The summer will soon be over.'

'The summer hasn't even started,' Esme said. 'Slow your roll.'

'I was thinking that during the summer we could furnish your apartment,' Jonathon said. 'I'm supposed to fly to Europe, so maybe you might like to join me.'

'That would be really good,' Ecie nodded. 'We could look for some cool stuff for our place.'

'Yeah,' Esme nodded. 'I like it. It'll be loads of fun.'

'You're free to join us son,' Jonathon said. 'And you Emily.'

'Thanks dad,' Ross replied. 'We've already booked something for this summer.'

'What?' Jonathon asked.

'We're going to Belgium and we're going to go sightseeing and stuff,' Emily replied. 'Then we'll go to New York and stay there for a week or two. I need to be back by the end of August, and then it'll be back to school.'

'You guys are so cute,' Esme smiled. 'I wish that Taylor would plan a little break for us.'

'Didn't he give you the keys to his apartment...?' Ecie said.

'What?' Jonathon looked at Esme. 'I didn't know about this.'

'Yes he did Ecie,' Esme stared at her sister. 'Thank you for announcing that at the table.'

'Sorry,' Ecie said. 'It just slipped out. I couldn't stop.'

'Like when you told mom that I was dating Dan,' Esme said. 'It's like I can't tell you anything because you always tell the whole flipping table...'

'Excuse me,' Jonathon said. 'Taylor gave you what?'

'The keys to his apartment,' Esme replied looking down at her plate. 'I'm not moving in or anything, it's just so that when I go round I can let myself in and stuff.'

'Right,' Jonathon nodded. 'Do you have the keys?'

'Yeah dad,' Esme said. 'It's totally cool.'

Jonathon looked across the table at his daughter.

'Dad,' she said. 'It's fine. We've been dating for like two years now. It's totally cool.'

'Dad,' Ecie said. 'Taylor's a really cool guy and you really like him. You know how he was there for Es through everything. He's really proven himself.'

'I know,' Jonathon said. 'I'm just concerned with my girls growing up so fast and moving out already. I don't know.'

'Please don't go all heart-to-heart with us,' Ross said. 'I hate when you do this to us.'

'It's okay,' Jonathon said. 'I'll keep my emotions to myself.'

'Thank you,' Ross sighed.

'But I just want to say, how happy I am that all of you have worked so hard,' Jonathon said. 'You've all made me so proud and happy.'

'Here we go,' they said.

'You are best kids in the world and even through everything, you have all made me the luckiest father in the world,' Jonathon said. 'You all know that if you ever need anything at all, whatsoever I am a phone call away and you will always have a place to stay. You three are my kids and I love you all very much. None of this would be worth it if I didn't have you three; and Emily, you're part of the family too.'

Emily smiled.

'Oh god dad,' Ecie said. 'Are you done yet? You're making me feel all weird.'

'I love you kids.'

'We know,' they said.

'So I have decided that I will buy you all a new car,' Jonathon said sitting back in his chair and wiping his mouth. 'You can get a new car.'

Ross, Esme and Ecie stared at Jonathon. 'Huh?'

'I'm going to buy you all a new car as a well done present,' Jonathon replied. 'You can each choose which one you like and I'll buy it.'

'Mom's going to get so mad,' Esme laughed.

'This is a present from me to you,' Jonathon replied. 'Your mom won't mind at all.'

'Well I'm not one to argue with a free car,' Ross said rubbing his hands together. 'Thanks dad.'

'That's because you're a poor tramp who doesn't do anything,' Ecie said hitting Ross. 'You just lazy about all day.'